9/1/12
Day 2 Block A
“History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future” -Robert Penn Warren. History is the analysis and interpretation of the human past that enables us to study continuity and change over time. If it wasn’t for the study of our nation’s past there would be no way to identify the American identity. The study of the world’s history shows the contrast between the past and present, making it clear what the American identity believes and stands for. History is a device used to understand our personal opinions, beliefs, culture and religion. The study of our world’s history has helped us to understand the change the World has been through to get to where it is today. Society, beliefs, technology, and freedoms are just some examples of what has changed drastically in our history; the knowledge of how these things have evolved is a major tool used to improve the future. The study of U.S. history helps shape an American identity by giving a better grip on what used to be to embrace the current and develop the future.
History is the study of past events, specifically human affairs. We use the study of history to investigate and seek to explain how people have changed over time. Historians use all forms of evidence to examine, interpret, revisit, and reinterpret the past. These include not just written documents, but also oral communication. Also, objects and art such as sculptures, buildings, artifacts, photographs, and paintings are used to interpret the past. Historians do not always agree on interpretations of the past. Many say that the survivors have written our history. But nevertheless, debated differences help expand and enhance our understanding of human development.
History also provides a sense of identity to understand the collective past that has made us who we are today. The way people identify and